Juror 12 said she wanted to give the prosecution a chance to reach out to the juror or provide further instruction but the prosecutors could find no such instruction.

She flatly believes the prosecution did not prove its case.

"When the prosecution rested, I said to myself, 'that's it?'" she said.

Baca, 74, headed the nation's largest sheriff's department for more than 15 years before he resigned in 2014 amid allegations that guards at the Men's Central Jail took bribes, savagely beat inmates and falsified reports to cover up misconduct.

Prosecutors have not yet said whether they would attempt to retry Baca, who is 74 and in the early stages of Alzheimer's.